Vince Cachero is the Undefeated “Anomaly” Inside the Cage, a Budding Fight Videographer Outside the Cage

What exactly does it take to become a world class MMA fighter? UFC Hall of Famer and current MMA analyst Pat Miletich recently said on MMAjunkie radio that the qualities he looks for in up and coming fighters that determines their success is that they “have the athletic ability, the work ethic, the intelligence.”

“They’ve got to be thinkers. It’s something that you just get a gut feeling about.”

“I feel like I’ve been that way my whole life,” said Cachero. “I’m more of an introverted person. So, I’ve always been that fly on the wall, as a kid I was very, I like to think I was very observant. I wasn’t the one talking a whole bunch in class or trying to be the center of attention. I was always on the outside of the perimeter, looking, watching, thinking, feeling. I feel like that lent itself well to learning new things. Whatever I was interested in at the time I’d dive deep into it.”

“I feel like just that genuine curiosity has always been within me. So, whether it’s been fighting, or doing photography, videography or stuff. Anything I kind of get attracted to, I dive deep into and that’s how I’ve always been.”

Cachero has delved deep into many interests. Initially he focused on soccer, which he picked up from a very young age and played throughout high school before giving it up in college. After earning a degree in finance, Cachero decided that the cubicle life wasn’t for him and he started training in mixed martial arts which became his dream. While training, he picked up a new hobby, videography – that passion led to a job with Passando A Guarda, a jiu jitsu and MMA show running on Combate (a sports channel similar to ESPN in Brazil).

“I’d say it was only a maybe a couple years of just tinkering around with it, then my jiu jitsu coach, who fought last night, who I thought got robbed, Pedro Munhoz he was going to get interviewed for the show. Then Jorge, who is my boss, his cameraman just quit or whatever and Pedro asked if I could just film it for him. And so, I said sure and I set up my camera and I shot it and Jorge was like hey man I need people to shoot interviews on the go for me I’ll give you x amount of money per month. So, I was like sure, let’s do that. I think that was three years ago.”

Now Cachero is a producer on the show and has helped film some of the greats of MMA including Rafael Dos Anjos, Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida.

He was also able to network and ended up with another gig, which happens to be working on Blackhouse’s social media team. He shoots video and photos for them and brings a unique perspective as a fighter himself.

“I feel like I have an eye for fighting,” Cachero.

“Shooting fighting for me is probably easier than for most people who haven’t done it much. Because I kinda know what’s happening. I know what’s going on, I know when I feel like when this guy is going to throw his punch or throw his kicks so it makes me time clicking the shutter better.”

It’s not just the behind the camera moments that having a fighter behind the camera brings, Cachero says, it’s an appreciation of the art and beauty of the sport he represents.

“I want to make it look as cool as possible. I want to show people who are either MMA trainers or fans that man, this sport looks sick, this sport is artful, it’s cool, I want that to be reflected in the work.”

Working for Blackhouse also came with a few extra benefits. By being around the gym a lot and getting to know the fighters, Cahcero has had the opportunity to train with the team.

“Then of course as I got closer to everyone I started training there a little bit too. So, I’ll go over there and spar, I’ll go over there and wrestle. It’s been a great experience.”

One of the fighters Cachero has been sparring with is upcoming LFA bantamweight challenger Vinicius Zani, who is in the position Cachero sees himself in shortly.

“So getting to go with guys like that is good looks for me. That’s where I want to be in the next few fights.”

Because of his chaotic schedule, Cachero can’t cover everything he wants to show MMA fans, but when he gets the time, he has a few ideas in mind.

“Some of my goals are to get more into filming and create more like mini doc things on fighters and what the whole lifestyle is life.”

“They don’t see all the struggles we go through as fighters and why we are doing this and for what reason we are doing it. That’s more of what I want to explore through writing and through mini docs. I want to have the time.”

In the end, for Cachero, it comes down to finding meaning for his life. It ended up not being his first passion of soccer, it definitely wasn’t a career in finance, now he has found balance in MMA and videography, the best is still to come.

“It’s one where you are able to take responsibility and one where you can know who you yourself are as a person when you feel worth in what you are doing and you are living according to your values. For me, some of the big one are: creativity, its growth, its responsibility and strength and being able to work on those things and focus on those things and live a life that isn’t just soley focused on you but if you can give back to your family, and give back to your community it’s even better. That’s my goal and what I’m trying to work on and develop.”